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Cristina
The Ordinary
I know I’m late to the bandwagon on this one, but what finally sold me was beauty expert Nadine Baggott’s glowing reviews of this skincare brand. As she explained, most skincare is exorbitantly expensive, packed full of fragrance, and labeled with misleading marketing claims of “exotic” ingredients that have not been proven to work. The Ordinary is reasonably priced at around $5 a product, and the ingredients are transparent and high quality. I’m loving the way my skin is feeling. All skincare should work this way.
Shopping secondhand
I did a 1-year Secondhand Shopping Challenge last year and judging by my recent trips to Savers and Goodwill, I’m going to keep riding that wave right through 2018. I’ve discovered a newfound creativity to my style through secondhand shopping, not to mention it’s WAY cheaper! You can follow my thrifting adventures on Instagram if you’re curious about giving it a try too.
Redavid Orchid Oil Dual Therapy
When NaturallyCurly Intern Kiana came into work with particularly poppin’ curls I had to ask what she had in her hair, and she said it was this Redavid Orchid Oil Dual Therapy. I’d never heard of the brand before, and probably wouldn’t have picked it up on my own if it weren’t for her recommendation. The innovative packaging is made up of one tube with two different pumps, one with oil and one with cream. You can create your own custom formula based on how much you want of each. (Keep reading to see how you can try it out for yourself”>.
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Lauren
Black Girl In Om Podcast
As an avid anti-podcaster (I prefer to listen to music”>, there is one that I must pay dues too, as it captures my attention from the jump. The Black Girl in Om Podcast founded by two women of color based focuses on all things wellness, health, glowups, and so much more! I love listening to this on long drives or when I’m cleaning my apartment because it inspires in sometimes the most subtle of ways or will have me shouting! Recommended Listening: Their interview with Roe of @brownkids (one of my fave insta pages”> on minimalism and intentional living”>!
Biossance Squalane + Antioxidant Cleansing Oil
This oil has saved my face! I was always one of the oily skin people who did not think I needed an oil to cleanse, because duh I’m already oily, but one stop at Sephora and my skin and budget have decided otherwise. I use this oil now as the first cleanser in my 8 step skincare routine, and it has helped my skin look more even, feel extremely moisturized, and remove impurities in a non-abrasive way for my oily, yet sensitive skin. Plus! It’s main ingredient squalene comes from 100% plant-based, renewable sugarcane.
Apple Watch
Is it weird to say that I find my apple watch to be extremely grounding, in an almost “technology is taking over everything” kind of way? lol In all seriousness though, I decided to purchase one, because I thought it would help elevate my workouts, but a hidden gem in the form of the Breathe app has helped with so much more. I have Generalized Anxiety & Panic Disorder, so often my heart rate spikes and I’m so wrapped up in the moment that I don’t immediately recognize what’s happening. My watch’s technology catches these spikes though, and then sends me a little notification to breathe for at least 10 minutes, forcing me to calm the f down and take a chill pill. It might be a tad big brother-ish, but no complaints over here.
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April
Low-Sugar Treats
I’m still loving my low-sugar desserts!
I combine:
- Unflavored yogurt
- Thawed berries
- A handful or two of hemp hearts
and then top it off with a dash of cinnamon. It’s actually very filling and satisfying, and with enough hemp hearts it actually works as a full meal!
*Editor’s note: I’ve seen April eating this in the office and I can attest to the deliciousness of this snack!
The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up: A Magical Story
I’m currently trying to keep up my post-move decluttering efforts, so I bought the manga version of Mari Kondo’s house clearing methods!
The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up: A Magical Story is really cute, and it seems like it’s going to help me out! Also, even though romance isn’t my genre of choice, I thought it was super sweet that the clutter-loving main character might get the guy in the end now that she has space in her heart and her house.
Overnight Sensation
Harley Deville’s album Overnight Sensation changed. My. Whole. LIFE.
It’s somehow full of the kind of jams that could lull you to sleep, but also leaves me daydreaming about doing cocaine and going on road trips through the deserts in roofless cars (both of which I absolutely should not and will not start doing, but still”>. Is ‘sexy disaffected elevator electronica’ a genre? It might as well be. And Harley is the pioneer.
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Devri
IPKN Radiant Cream Primer ($28 for 1.35 oz”>
I have been looking for a good primer for a while now because I’ll admit, sometimes I skip that step. I’m not far from 30, so extra protection is not necessarily something my skin can afford to miss out on. Then I stumbled upon the IPKN Radiant Cream Primer, which has SPF 15 in it and gives my T-zone a healthy shimmer. This reminds me of one of my all-time holy grails, NYX Liquid Illuminator, but with the added skincare benefits. Since a little goes a long way, so the price point is justified.
Innersense Hydrating Cream Hair Bath ($28 for 10 oz”>
Innersense has held a special place in my heart for years. I enjoy the salon quality products that make my hair actually feel healthy — not just smell good. The new Hydrating Cream Hair Bath is a great clarifying cleanser for the moments when you’ve realized it has been an entire week since the last shampoo session and the grimy buildup is out of this world.
Plant Apothecary RE: FRESH Organic Toning Facial Mist ($9.60 for 2 oz”>
Who isn’t a sucker for a refreshing facial toner with aloe, cucumber, and rose water as its top 3 ingredients? Plant Apothecary’s mist is the perfect size for carrying literally anywhere so I can give my face a quick boost on long treks throughout the city. This product has easily become one of my favorites over the past 5 months or so, lasting me well into two seasons with more than enough left in this tiny bottle. I also use it as a makeup setting spray.
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Alex
Pomegranate & Honey 2n1 Face Cleanser & Scrub
This cleanser and gentle scrub have my skin clearer than it’s ever been! I use this to wash my face in the morning and evening and I absolutely love the smell and how soft and moisturized it leaves my skin feeling. I mean who doesn’t love waking up to the fresh smell of pomegranate and honey?
Kenyan Coffee Face Polish Exfoliator
I’ve never been a skincare guru or even had much of skincare routine, but now that I’m becoming more intentional about taking care of my skin it’s essential to create something simple and easy to use. I love this exfoliator because it not only removes all the dirt and make-up residue off of my skin, it leaves my skin smooth and soft.
Mielle Organics Honey & Ginger Styling Gel
I never thought I was a gel kind of girl. I would use light-weight leave-in conditioners and heavy butters and creams when I wanted a more defined look, but lately, I’ve been trying gels and I’m actually surprised how well they work on my hair! I’ve been trying several gels in the past few months and this one takes the cake for provindig curl definition, moisture and managing my frizz.
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Cara
Carmella Marie Deep Conditioner
I’m into the Carmella Marie deep conditioner. It smells good, is thick and really soaks into my hair. It looks like a delicious strawberry smoothie, and a lot of the ingredients are edible (but not all”>. It’s got honey hibiscus to “naturally soften and smoothen hair.” It’s cute packaging, too for a small brand.
The Hair Flair Brush
The Hair Flair brush we go in with two different bristle types is one of the best detangling brushes I have used. I had some pretty ratted up hair and it trucked through it without ripping or breaking my hair and minimal finger detangling mixed in. It’s nice and gentle on my fine hairs.
Grace and Frankie season 4
Grace and Frankie season 4 is on Netflix now and I just love Lily Tomlin. It’s like a cheesier much-later sequel to 9 to 5. But really, I would like to be friends with Lily Tomlin.
Giveaway
What have you been loving this month? Leave a comment with one of your favorites down below for a chance to win the Redavid Orchid Oil Dual Therapy to try for yourself!
This giveaway ends Wednesday, February 7, 2018 and is open to U.S. residents only, as per our Terms and Conditions.
*Please make sure you have liked us on Facebook, so that we can notify you if you’ve won.
